Dare
by Selyann
Summary: (30 Day OTP Challenge, Day 2. Theme: Cuddling somewhere.) Takasugi knew that going along with Gintoki's dares was silly, but he always ended up doing it anyway.


**Author Note:** Once again, my interpretation of the theme is sort of loose, I think. Hahaaa ...

Lol, the summary actually says little about the story, I think, but since it's such a short one, it'd be too easy to spoil it.

30 Day OTP Challenge, Day 2. Theme: Cuddling somewhere.

* * *

**Dare**

* * *

'_... Take it back.'_

'_Oh, am I wrong, Bakasugi?'_

'_I'll show you. Idiot.'_

Such were the words which had started everything.

A dare it had been, and Takasugi knew that perhaps it would have been wiser to ignore Gintoki's jibes, but he always found himself falling for the same trick nonetheless. He could never seem to keep his temper in the other boy's presence, and when Takasugi had said something, he was not wont to go back on his word. He would sooner die than give Gintoki the satisfaction of making him look like a coward.

As a result, he was stuck sitting in a tree with rather a sour look on his face.

He knew he would eventually need to get down, but climbing the tree had proved easier than doing the reverse. He was not particularly fond of the idea of ruining his kimono or breaking a leg. Moreover, if either of the things happened, his family would doubtless find out. They would definitely not approve of his accepting a dare as silly as that one, especially when it had come from a boy of questionable pedigree. In such a case it should have fallen on deaf ears in the first place.

However, no matter how many times it happened, the result was very much the same. Takasugi was actually quite convinced that Gintoki was well aware of how seriously he took every insult and merely wished to make Takasugi suffer and feel a fool. And despite suspecting that, he still acted just like Gintoki wanted every single time.

Which had led to his climbing the sole tree in a vast meadow without hesitation.

Takasugi's gaze swept across the horizon, for lack of a better thing to do, and he scowled at the setting sun. Beautiful though it was, it only served as a reminder of how little time there was until twilight and how helpless he was in that situation. He could try jumping off the branch he was occupying, but the injuries he would sustain were not something to look forward too – not to mention the smug look on Gintoki's face when he next saw him.

Clutching the branch tightly with his hands, he began weighing his options, when suddenly a voice interrupted his train of thought.

'Shinsuke?'

He directed his gaze at the foot of the tree and asked incredulously, 'Sensei?'

Sure enough, Shouyou indeed was standing there and looking up at him.

'Are you coming down?' Shouyou called out, but not insistently.

Takasugi furrowed his brow at this. He kicked his legs lightly – very lightly, in fact, as he wished not to fall – and glanced at the setting sun again. 'How did you know I was here?'

Shouyou gave a soft laugh and replied: 'It's a teacher's duty to keep an eye on his pupils, after all.'

The answer did make sense, yet at the same time it did not. Turning his gaze back to his teacher, Takasugi felt himself become irritated at such an obvious answer.

'And yet you left me here,' he remarked accusingly.

Perhaps Shouyou-sensei didn't care about him, after all.

A pause followed, in which Shouyou merely looked at him calmly before he finally said, 'Gintoki's gone to sleep.'

Takasugi scowled at his teacher.

Shouyou was avoiding the topic, and Takasugi utterly despised being ignored. He did not care about Gintoki, and he most definitely did not want to hear about him any more than absolutely necessary. What did he care about his sleeping patterns? He could sleep all day if he wanted – he would be less of a bother that way, so Takasugi would actually be glad.

Although, Gintoki's sleeping in class irritated him just as much, so perhaps it was the boy's mere presence that was a nuisance in Takasugi's eyes.

'I suggest that you come down quite soon, Shinsuke,' said Shouyou with a smile. 'You never know when he might wake up.'

It took a few moments for the words to sink in, and Takasugi's features softened gradually as he understood what his teacher had meant. 'Sensei ...'

'Come, jump.'

'Eh?'

'I'll catch you, so don't worry. It'll be fine,' Shouyou assured him and held out his arms.

After a moment of hesitation, he prised himself off the branch and let his body slide down. As he landed in Shouyou's arms, the impact made them both fall to the ground, causing Takasugi to clutch the front of his teacher's kimono instinctively. He felt his cheeks become warmer as embarrassment settled in. Not only had he made his teacher crash into the ground, but also behaved so childishly – so unbecoming to a child of a samurai.

It was seconds later that he realised that Shouyou's arms were wrapped around his back in a protective embrace, and when he looked up the best he could without moving much, he saw that his teacher's face was still adorned with the very same kind smile. He felt his heart skip a beat and buried his face in his teacher's clothes, furrowing his brow lightly.

'Shinsuke,' said Shouyou, which caused Takasugi to finally lift his head off his chest. 'Are you fine?'

Takasugi nodded and scrambled off his body, trying his best to appear collected.

It had happened before, after all, so the feeling was nothing to worry about.

Shouyou followed suit and stood up, his face serene. 'We should head back then. We wouldn't want Gintoki to wake up, would we?'

And as they walked off in the direction of the school, their hands entwined, Takasugi could not help thinking that perhaps accepting Gintoki's challenge that day had not been that bad an idea.

* * *

**Author Note:** Ah, I must say I don't really like this one. It sounded good in my head, but writing it down was causing me serious problems. :/ Perhaps I should really start drawing instead.


End file.
